UCSB Baseball Victorious Against San Diego State In Season Opener

The UC Santa Barbara baseball team started the season off on the right foot defeating San Diego State, 2-1. Matt Vazquez (1-0) pitched six solid innings to get the win. Vasquez gave up five hits and one earned run, striking out five and walking three. Jared Edrosolan earned the first save of the season with his ninth-inning performance.

The key hit of the game came in the bottom of the fourth for the Gauchos (1-0). Taylor Vogt led off the inning with a line-drive homerun to right-center field. The ball quickly made its way over the fence and beyond the large crowd gathered behind the 385 ft. sign. The no-doubt-about-it shot ended up being the decisive run for UCSB. Vogt ended the day two for three with one walk. His season opening homerun matched his last year's total.

Mike Moat started the game for SDSU, getting credited with the loss (0-1). Pitching solidly, his defense failed him in the second inning. Back-to-back errors by the infield allowed Matt Wilkerson to score from third. But with the bases loaded and nobody out, Moat recorded two strikeouts and a fielder's choice to remove the threat. Yet, his mistake to Vogt cost him the game.

James Guerrero drove in the solo run for the Aztecs, getting a two-out single in the fifth to bring in Josh Allen. Peter Stonard led San Diego State with two hits on the game.

The win gives the team "positive reinforcement coming off of a down year," according to head coach Bob Brontsema. Pitching coach Dan Ricabal raved about his starting pitcher after the game. "He (Vasquez) set the tone in the fall, he set the tone in the winter, and now he set the tone in the spring."

San Diego State (0-4) is still looking for their first win of the season. New head coach Tony Gwynn also looks for his first victory in his collegiate coaching career. The Aztecs were swept last weekend by Arizona State in Tempe, AZ.

These two teams square off again on Saturday, February 1st at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium at 1:00 PM. The series closes out on Sunday at 1:00 PM.